


The Etiquette of Fine Dining

by lil_utterance (persephone_flees)



Category: True Blood
Genre: Bonding, F/F, Femslash, Five Times, Kink, Multi, Other, Sarcasm, Threesome, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-22
Updated: 2010-06-22
Packaged: 2017-10-10 05:33:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/96137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/persephone_flees/pseuds/lil_utterance
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five bites that Pam probably shouldn't have taken, but did anyway.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Etiquette of Fine Dining

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers through episode 3x01. Also, a mythical creature or two from the books is mentioned.
> 
> The etiquette tips that begin each section are adapted from [here](http://whatscookingamerica.net/Menu/DiningEtiquetteGuide.htm).

**1\. _Guests should do their best to make conversation with everyone present; they should talk about cheerful, pleasant things during a meal… _**

"Here we go again," Pam said as she walked down the stairs.

The scene in the basement that greeted her had become so familiar that neither the nudity nor the marks of possession evidenced by the bodies in front of her gave any satisfaction. Violence could be exciting, yes; long ago, Eric had been the one to teach her all about it...but he had also been the one to make her realize that, if unvaried, it could also be more stupefyingly dull than human love songs. A mere week ago, this woman's cries had been intoxicating; now she found them merely irritating. Not that this was an uncommon reaction for her--she usually found the screamers showed very little stamina, and even less initiative. Why Eric had picked this petite blond for a stand-in for his recent obsession, she would never know. As the human wasn't his type, Pam could only assume him to be as bored as his antics had made her.

She sighed as she moved to stand next to him, waiting only until he had delivered one final smack to the ass of the woman tied up beside him before she spoke. "Why can't you ever play nice?"

"I can, but it's rarely so rewarding."

"You call this rewarding?" Pam said, indicating the panting woman. The human, somewhere in her twenties - Pam could never much tell ages within the same decade - might be a pretty enough creature, with that soft fall of blonde curls and those tempting curves, but right now she sagged against her bonds, face hidden against her shoulder. Completely defeated and, in Pam's opinion, boring.

"I've had worse. Besides," Eric ran his fingernails down the girl's back, eliciting a quiet groan, "she does't want 'nice'. She was very clear on the subject."

"And since when have you ever cared about a human's version of clarity? They never know what they want."

"You think you can do better."

Pam smiled, giving him an eyeful of fang. "I know I can."

"Then she's all yours. I didn't like her much anyways."

As Pam walked up to Eric's captive, the woman surprised her by twisting in her bonds and lifting her head up to glare at her. A breathtaking act of defiance, and Pam found she no longer had to fake the fang she had previously extended to get herself in the mood.

"Oh, I think we're going to get along just fine." She moved around behind the woman and ran a finger down her back, testing, anticipating--and she wasn't disappointed. The moment she felt the shudder, she slid her hands down the woman's hips and pulled her backwards until she was fitted tightly against her own front. She offered Eric a knowing smile as her captive couldn't quite bite back a moan, then tilted her head down to speak, low and slow, into the blond's ear. "You want to play, don't you?"

When no response was forthcoming, Eric laughed.

"Trust me, Hannah," he said."You don't want to make her angry."

"He's right, human," Pam said, tightening her grip. She felt the shape of the other woman's hipbones against her fingers, sharp and delicate. "I can be a real bitch."

"Unless that's what you want me to call you, I'd suggest you use my name when you refer to me."

Pam raised her eyebrows and looked up to catch Eric's gaze. "Really?" she said, sardonically.

"What can I tell you? She thinks she's special."

"That, I can see for myself. What's less obvious to me is why you-"

"I'm still right here!"

At the interruption, both Eric and Pam turned their focus on the woman in Pam's arms.

"Silence," Eric said, the command completely unnecessary as Pam had already tangled a hand in the woman's hair and yanked her head back so they were face-to-face. She didn't think that this position leant itself well to further interruptions, but she held the girl in a measured gaze long enough to be sure. After one last sharp tug on the hair twined around her fingers that had the other woman grimacing in pain, she turned back to Eric.

"I certainly hope this is part of the game."

He smirked. "Why don't you find out?"

Pam almost had to stop herself from rolling her eyes; sometimes she had a difficult time believing him to be the older of the two of them. If he hadn't created her, she doubted she'd believe it at all. Sighing, she shifted her gaze back to the woman in her arms.

"Hannah," Pam said softly, "I'm not interested in being openly defied and I'm tired of hearing from you right now. If you want this to continue, you will blink - once - and then you will accept whatever I feel like offering. Do you understand?" When no response came, she smiled, pleased. "Very good. You may blink now, if you'd like." She felt no surprise when Hannah performed the requested action, only an expectant sort of pleasure.

"Excellent," Eric said, not in the least cowed by Pam's withering look. "This _is_ more interesting than when I have to feed alone. One can never overestimate the entertainment value of a good show-"

"You're embarrassing yourself," Pam informed him, irritated at being distracted from her task.

His only response to her criticism was one of utter complacency, which was also unsurprising. Despite the irritation in her voice, she knew she could never quite hide her fondness for him, even in moments where she knew it to be undeserved.

Not that what he deserved mattered very much right now.

She turned her attention back to her partner.

"Move against my hand," Pam ordered, sliding a hand downwards to slip between Hannah's legs. Eric had readied her, of course, so Pam's initial explorations met with little resistance. Things didn't start to get interesting until the tentative motion of the human's hips picked up speed.

"Enough," Pam said quietly, the entire force of her personality behind the command.

Mid-gasp, Hannah froze. An impressive feat, but much to Pam's delight the woman's obedience was not perfect. The back-and-forth motion might no longer be occurring, but Hannah couldn't seem to help herself from occasionally clenching around the fingers inside her, and Pam could feel her building frustration in the tenseness of the body against her own.

"You weren't going to do anything without my permission, were you?" Pam asked.

 When the human shook her head in denial, Eric laughed again. "Now you see why I had to go to such lengths to make sure she understood that concept."

"You've always lacked imagination." Pam surveyed the bruises that littered the human's body. "Though this is some of your finer work."

"Coming from you, that's quite a compliment."

"You take anything I say as a compliment. It soothes your ego." She turned her attention back to the woman she was holding, sliding her free hand down her arm. "Pretty bruises don't you think?" Pam asked her conversationally. "He's always been very good at placing them-"

"It's the grouping that matters," Eric interjected.

"That's what he says," Pam kept talking to the woman, her smile widening as she felt her grow more aroused. "Personally, I've always thought that the real skill comes from how they're handled afterwards."

She ignored the sound Eric made as he realized her purpose. Still keeping one hand inside the woman, she touched a bruise on her shoulder with the other. "You know what bruises are, yes?"

"Yes," Hannah said, turning her head to hold Pam's gaze. "Blood trapped beneath skin."

Pam dug her fingernails into the bruise she had been stroking, her laughter as sharp as the pain she knew the gestured caused. "Not for long," she said, the words a whisper and a promise of her intentions. Withdrawing her hand for a moment, she lightly scraped her fangs over the bruise until the body against her trembled in anticipation.

When she felt the other woman was on-edge - tense, wanting, waiting - she once again replaced her fangs with her fingers, lightly stroking around the edges of the blood-filled tissue. As she increased the pressure of her fingers on the bruise, she once again started moving her other hand, the one still-pressed between the human's legs. The increase of sensations, the pain, the pleasure, caused Hannah to cry out, and Pam found that she herself had almost drawn the game out as long as she was willing to go without some form of release.

She lowered her head so that her fangs joined her fingers, both pressing against the bruise.

"Mind if I join you?" Eric asked, not even pretending to wait for permission before he started moving towards them.

Pam glanced up at him from across the woman's shoulder. "Not if you stay on your own side." She waited until he was situated, his fangs resting against a purplish-red mark at the base of their human's throat, before she spoke again. "Ready?" she asked.

The minute the words had been uttered, they bit down together, watching each other, pacing each other. After the first mouthful or so, when Pam closed her eyes to savor the taste and the feel of the woman shuddering against her, she felt Eric's hand move to press between her shoulder blades, the only sign of open affection they ever allowed themselves.

A few more slow pulls and the human's breath started to hitch more noticeably--a trend which continued as Pam started moving the hand she had inside the woman with a greater sense of purpose. Not to be outdone, Eric slid his free hand down over Pam's arm until his fingers curved over Pam's own, and then they were both stroking the woman towards her climax. For a few seconds, they drank together, moved together, fucked together, until the woman finally came. Much to her own surprise, Pam came with her, her fangs embedding themselves even deeper as she shuddered against the body in front of her, the weight of the hand behind her pressing her forwards.

As the pleasure abated and she opened her eyes, she was already cursing her decision to come down to the basement tonight. Now Eric would be certain that he had beat her at her own game and would be unbearably smug for the next week. Already a smile was forming on his lips as he licked the last of the blood from his fangs, so certain was he that his presence had fundamentally changed the outcome of the exchange.

"Want to go again?" he asked her, and though she found herself nodding she knew that by tomorrow night she'd definitely need to find somewhere else to be.

 

***

**2\. _Food that is served during a pre-meal cocktail hour is intended to be eaten with the fingers…_**

Pam was just cleaning herself up when Eric walked into the room.

"I did not expect to find you here," he said.

She met his glare with equanimity and finished licking the blood off her fingers before she spoke. "I was summoned."

"Yes," Sophie-Anne said as she walked out of the bathroom and towards the big, canopied bed where Pam sat. "I found I needed her. I had a gift I knew she simply couldn't resist."

Eric looked over at the chaise lounge on the far side of the bed where a woman lay sprawled across the cushions, prominent bite marks on her thighs, and then shrugged dismissively.

"It's true that Pam doesn't refuse many women."

"Oh, my dear," Sophie-Anne said to Pam, laughingly, "I do believe I've made him jealous. Either that, or he's never liked your taste in humans."

Pam shrugged. "It's always bothered him that I don't get as attached as he does."

"_Pam_," Eric said warningly.

"Now, don't get upset," Sophie-Anne said. "You can hardly blame her for not refusing a woman from a fairy blood-line--especially a virgin one."

Eric took in the tangled blankets, the blood-stains, and the general dishevelment of the two vampires in front of him.

"Still?" he asked.

Sophie-Anne's smile dimmed. "Are you questioning my self control?"

"Of course not, your majesty. I just find myself unable to see why you wouldn't enjoy your property to its fullest."

She laughed, the picture of charm again, and leaned over to pat his cheek. "Because anticipation is sweet." She reached a hand back to Pam in an unspoken summons. "As is this splendid creature you made. I've never met another female vampire that can outlast me, but she performs beautifully."

Pam smiled almost demurely, an incredibly perverse sight, and looked up at her Queen. "I've had excellent instruction."

"Oh, you politic thing! So very clever--you could mean either of us, I suppose. I should punish you for that, but I'm feeling so pleased at the moment that I'll let it slide." Placing her hands on either side of Pam's face, she pulled her in for a long, slow kiss. When she had finished, she released her and stepped back towards Eric. "Now I must talk to your Sheriff for a minute."

Pam nodded her acknowledgement then looked toward Eric. "I'll be outside," she said, leaving before he could respond.

When he joined her half an hour later, she could tell that he was no happier than when she had left them.

"Why did you do that?" Eric asked her, the minute they had gotten into his car.

"What?"

"Drink with her."

"How could I have refused our Queen?"

"Don't play games with me, Pam."

"Relax," Pam said, pulling out a compact mirror and applying lipstick to a mouth that was still swollen. "She needed to think that I couldn't resist her."

"Can you?"

"If I wanted to."

"But you do find her attractive?"

Pam tossed her lipstick back in her purse and gave him a look. "I'm so glad I get to see this side of you. It's a privilege I've really grown to appreciate over the years."

"It's only one of the many privileges I've afforded you."

The threat hung in the air between them for a few moments before Pam decided to ignore it.

"Your question is disingenuous and shouldn't have required an answer. You know I've always found her attractive. It's hardly gotten in the way of my loyalty to you."

Eric was silent for a few miles, until after they merged onto the highway and were well away from the epicenter of the Queen's domain. "You realize she's addicted you," he finally said quietly, not looking at her. "By having you drink from that woman."

"Some pleasures are worth the addiction, as you well know," Pam said, continuing to stare out the front windshield into the night.

After her statement, nothing else was said. The argument appeared to be over.

They drove in silence for a few minutes before, seemingly apropos of nothing, Pam said, "The Queen now thinks that I'm her creature."

Eric appeared to think about her statement, but Pam knew he understood her immediately. He hid his relief well, but she knew him better.

"I see the value in that," was all he said, but when she turned on the radio, he didn't complain about her choice of stations.

***

**3._ Even if you have dietary restrictions, it is inappropriate to request food other than that which is being served by your host at a private dinner... _**

Pam stared at the young vampire in disbelief. "You cannot be serious."

"I am! I don't know what to do with him. He's gross and he stinks."

"Yes, they get that way when you keep them around too long. Now tell me why you brought him here again? You do know they shut down vampire bars for far less than what you just laid on our doorstep?"

Fresh streaks of blood slipped down Jessica's face, making Pam remember why she had vowed, at the tender age of two weeks, never to cry again. With her big eyes, long, silky red hair, and fangs, Jessica should one day be a presence to reckoned with, despite the baby fat that would never disappear from her cheeks. But right now, with the combination of her innocence and inexperience, the appearance of her youth, she reminded Pam of nothing more than a kitten, dropping her dead mouse on the doorstop of a surrogate parent. The only compliment Pam could pay her was that at least she didn't seem to be dense enough to expect praise for the gift.

Then again, Pam was rather surprised she had managed to kill anyone at all. If Jessica reminded her of a kitten, it was more than obvious that it was Bill Compton who had declawed her.

"Come with me," Pam sighed. "But you're carrying him. I don't handle other people's messes."

***

Annoyed, Pam leaned down to wipe some dirt off her shoe as Jessica finally finished burying the body. She had started ignoring the girl ten minutes ago, and hadn't stopped since. Really, vampires just weren't being made the way they used to be. If she had mouthed off around Eric in this fashion when she was newly created, they would certainly not still be keeping company today.

"...and this is just one more example of how being undead sucks," Jessica complained as she tossed the shovel she had been using to the side and sat down in a huff. "At least I see now why Bill won't let me bite people."

"Somehow I knew the blame for all of this could be laid at Bill Compton's door," Pam said, almost to herself. "He's the last vampire who should have been allowed to make another."

"You sent me to live with him!"

Pam eyed her, wondering if it was worth the effort to try and knock the petulance out of her voice. "You were his creation and his responsibility."

"You also said I was annoying."

"Do you see where we are standing?" Pam indicated the middle of the forest, the shovel, and the dirt that covered their shoes. "If you are trying to prove me wrong, try harder."

"But I don't know how to do any of this!"

Pam reflected that Jessica had a knack, most likely not a calculated one, of saying exactly what would keep her from simply walking away from the younger vampire and leaving her to find her own way back home.

"Fine," Pam said. "One lesson. One. After that, you do not know me. You have a maker, go to him. It's his job to deal with your problems."

Jessica nodded enthusiastically. Pam found her eagerness more irritating than endearing, but the sooner she did this, the sooner she could get back to playing with grown ups. Besides, this experience was a learning experience for her as well--it had taught her that there was no way in hell she would ever again think it a good idea to make herself a companion. She knew she could do it, she could train one, but she doubted she'd ever find the human who would inspire her to the effort. After all, they were all human before they turned...and some of them remained more human than not even afterwards.

"Where did you hunt before?" Pam asked. "Because you are never hunting there again."

***

"Do not, I repeat, do not, rip his throat out," Pam instructed. "At least if you don't want him to be dead at the end of the encounter. And, for you, killing is not your best option. It's messy and usually involves complications you are obviously not ready to deal with. For now, this means you will not be able to engage in non-controlled feeding; it's too difficult to judge the rate of blood flow. Eat less than you want, which should still be more than you need, and only pierce the skin in two places. In sum, do not be writing checks you cannot cash."

"What's a check?"

Pam looked down at the man who lay bound and gagged at their feet. "Ask him."

"Really?"

"No!" Pam brought a hand up to her temple; she didn't even know she could _get_ headaches anymore. "No," she said more softly. "Just glamour him and eat, so we can go home."

"But I'm really not sure-"

"Don't say it!" Pam only hoped that she would one day have the chance to pay Bill Compton back for the night he had just given her. "You have the appearance of innocence, use it to mask the predatory nature of your approach. All you have to do is focus on them - on their mind - then feed, and leave, once again using your appearance and your apparent youth to escape undetected. You will meet with success _as long as you do not go around leaving bloody corpses behind_."

Jessica looked down at the man at her feet. "But he already knows I'm here."

Pam would have sworn she could actually hear herself grinding her teeth. "I'm speaking in generalities. Do not worry about him. If your glamour is not complete, mine will be. He'll remember nothing." She smiled down at him with barely contained ferocity and enjoyed the way his eyes widened. "Except that he had a very good time."

"Alright," Jessica said, dropping to sit beside the man. She reached out a hand to gently cup his face. "Hi," she said, a bit bashfully. "I think it's time I take off this gag. You won't yell if I do, will you?" When he shook his head, she became more confident. "You see? I knew we could have some fun." As she pulled off the gag, she looked up to Pam for approval.

"Yes, very good. Now if you could get on with it?" Though her words were somewhat harsh, Pam found the spectacle in front of her fascinating. Jessica's glamour was good - exquisite, really - there was so much potential there, if she was only encouraged to use it.

"Close your eyes," Jessica ordered as her fangs extended.

Pam watched her lower her head and tried to dampen her feelings of anticipation. She really did love to watch, one of the many qualities she'd inherited from Eric, and this was promising to be-

"I can't," Jessica said suddenly. As she stood, the spell she had woven around her captive broke and all hell broke loose. He started yelling, she started hitting him, and Pam had to get into the middle of them, a maneuver that lacked all dignity.

"Enough," she said to him, her words an instant glamour. "You will not move without my permission. Do you understand?" She didn't wait for his nod before turning on Jessica, who immediately started to defend herself.

"Bill wouldn't like it, Sookie wouldn't like it, Hoyt would just _hate_ it, and besides, the last time I tried-"

"I do not care," Pam cut her off. "I am hungry, I am going to feed. And then I am going to take you home. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Jessica muttered, and Pam endeavored not to notice the crestfallen expression on her face. Bill had really done this one no favors, but that really wasn't her problem.

As she fed, she looked up at Jessica, who now watched her in utter fascination. Pam tried a small experiment, holding the other vampire's gaze as she slowed her feeding speed, and watched as Jessica's body unconsciously tensed, a sure sign of arousal in their kind.

Interesting. Maybe one day she would find an acquaintance with her worthwhile, after she had grown up in mind, if not in body.

When she had finished feeding, finished her glamour, Jessica tentatively approached her.

"I know you said you would take me home," Jessica said, "but would you mind keeping me company until Sookie gets home? We still don't know where Bill went or if he was taken..."

Pam's first impulse was to leave her there, alone, to find her way home. The presumption of the request was unbelievable and completely unappreciated. And yet...

Pam would never admit it, but she actually felt pity for the vampire in front of her. So much potential, and so little guidance. She didn't have the same relationship with her maker that Pam had known--someone to fight and fuck and feed with. Someone who knew how the world worked and was willing to explain it, even if in the end they were doing it more to benefit themselves.

So when she started walking out of parking lot in which they were standing, she didn't object when Jessica tagged along. She knew she had bought into this for the rest of the evening.

Hopefully somewhere later down the line, there would be some sort of reward; she didn't do charity.

***

**4\. _Loud eating noises are always impolite... _**

Somehow Pam found herself toying with Jessica's hair while the latter vampire drank a TruBlood.

"I do not understand how you drink that," Pam said as she wound a few strands of red hair around her fingers and gently tugged. "Especially when you had a chance at a perfectly good meal earlier."

"It's not so bad. It took me awhile to find the right blend of types, but once I discovered it, even Hoyt thought that it was tolerable."

Pam held her hand out for the bottle. One small taste and she couldn't hide her grimace. If this...liquid...could be labeled tolerable by Jessica, apparently she hadn't yet developed a taste for the finer things in life. Then again, she thought, as Jessica took another defiant slurp of her beverage, apparently she hadn't learned any manners either.

"I promise you that if you make that noise again, it will signal my absence."

Jessica's look turned sulky, but her next sip was quieter. "Hoyt never minded."

"Hoyt?"

"My boyfriend." Jessica took another swallow from the bottle and frowned. "Ex-boyfriend."

"Human?"

"Yeah." At Pam's look she became defensive. "Look, I know, he's human: different lifespan, different taste in food, different reaction to sunlight. But Bill and Sookie do it and it usually works. And Hoyt and I were doing fine until-"

"Until?" When Jessica refused to look at her, Pam put her finger under the girl's chin and forced her to look up. "For future reference, I don't like to be kept waiting."

"When I was created, I hadn't...I mean, I had never..."

"You are a virgin."

"Yeah. And that part sucks too. I might be a vampire, but that doesn't mean I have to like pain."

"Why must there be pain?"

"Well, you know. Every time he," Jessica pushed her hands forward to demonstrate, splashing some TruBlood on the table, "you know. It hurt."

"That's because you're not handling your situation correctly."

Jessica's eyes widened. "I'm not?"

Pam smiled; now this was the type of instruction she could really learn to enjoy. "No. If you don't want pain, you can just," she held up a hand, "may I?" At Jessica's nod, she placed her hand on the younger vampire's clothed stomach. Watching her closely, Pam slid her hand downwards, delicately brushing the cloth of Jessica's skirt before pressing her fingers between the juncture at her thighs. At the first stroke of her hand, she felt Jessica jump in surprise.

"Just like that," Pam murmured, and stilled her fingers. "I think you understand," she said, holding Jessica's gaze until she nodded again.

They were in that same position, Pam's hand between Jessica's thighs, each vampire studying the other, when Sookie walked into the kitchen.

"What the hell is going on here?"

Pam slowly drew back from Jessica and turned to face Sookie. "I was looking after your charge. Does that mean I get paid?"

"You were taking advantage of her, is what you were doing," Sookie said hotly. "I'll thank you to get the fu-"

"Sookie!" Jessica pleaded, "It's not what it looks like." At Sookie's skeptical look, she clarified. "Okay, it kinda is what it looked like, but Pam was just helping me-"

"I know exactly what she was doing, Jessica."

"Somehow, I doubt that," Pam said, looking Sookie up and down.

"Pam, I would really appreciate it-"

"Don't yell at her!" Jessica said. "She was only trying to help."

"Jessica," Sookie paused and looked around her. She looked from Pam, who was still coolly studying her, to Jessica, who looked like she might either cry or yell some more, depending on her next mood swing, and appeared to get overwhelmed. "Jessica...just...go to your room." As Jessica started to object, she held up her hand. "So help me, if you tell me that I'm not the boss of you, I will make good and sure that Bill never lets you see your iPod again."

As Jessica fled the room, Sookie fixed her gaze on Pam. She waited only until Jessica's door slammed before speaking.

"Seriously, what did you think you were doing?"

Despite all the inconvenience Pam had endured that evening, she found herself smiling. "I believe you witnessed what you so recently termed 'lesbian weirdness'."

Sookie's hands balled up against her sides and her face turned an even deeper red than it had when she had blushed at Pam's earlier comments. "Have you no shame? She's just a child."

"She's a vampire," Pam said bluntly. "And you and Bill should start treating her as one."

"I cannot believe I am having this conversation."

"Neither can I," Pam said. "Come find me if you ever wish to have a reasonable discussion on the subject. I won't hold my breath."

"Do you even remember how?" Sookie asked scornfully as she turned and headed up the stairs towards Jessica's room.

Pam watched her go, her gaze thoughtful; in fact, she didn't remember how to hold her breath, or even how to breathe at all. But then, she had also not remembered, until tonight, all of the ways in which Eric's continuing obsession could be so attractive. She was not at all sorry to have been reminded.

***

**5\. _And remember: always chew before you swallow._**

Sookie stood in the bathroom, dripping red.

"Why do I feel like we've been here before?" Pam asked as she handed her a new set of clothing.

"Because we have." Sookie started to pull off her shirt, then glanced over. "Are you going to watch me change?"

Pam shrugged. "Do you have anything I haven't seen before?"

"Would you just turn around?"

Sighing, Pam did as she was asked. But only, she reminded herself, because she needed the telepath's help to find Eric again. He had reported back to them two days ago to say that he thought he had found another vampire who knew Bill's location, but they hadn't heard from him since.

The whole situation made her feel...uncomfortable. And she didn't do uncomfortable very well. She'd taken Sookie with her today when she had gone to speak to the Queen, thinking that maybe she'd be able to read the thoughts of some of the Queen's companions, but their entrance had been barred. Worse, on their way out of the residence, they had been attacked.

They had been attacked by werewolves.

Pam didn't know how it all fit together. And Pam also didn't handle puzzles very well, at least not the ones she couldn't solve.

Usually what she could handle well was a few wounds--however, the battle today might have handed her one too many. A fact that became very apparent as she swayed and had to brace herself against the wall.

"What's wrong?" Sookie asked, over by her side in a minute. She had seemingly forgotten her fear of being seen less than fully dressed and, had the occasion been otherwise, Pam might have been more appreciative of the view.

"It's nothing," Pam said, brushing her off as she stepped away from the wall. Her words were instantly made a lie as the sudden movement made her lose her balance again. This time, when Sookie came over to help brace her up, Pam couldn't help the way her eyes lingered on the open gashes along the woman's cheek and neck that had been sustained during the battle.

Sookie, having dated a vampire, immediately noticed the direction of her gaze and sighed.

"This better not be another trick," she said.

"I-"

Before Pam could even finish her question, Sookie had offered up the side of her neck that was still-bleeding, and was pulling Pam's head down towards her offering.

Pam managed to hold herself back - and it was more of an effort than she would ever want to admit - her fangs barely scraping Sookie's skin. "If you allow this, it might be some time before I am able to stop," she warned.

"Pam, I've been the primary meal source for a vampire for awhile, I know how all this works. Now can you just get on with it?"

Once again, Pam found herself hesitating. "Before I do this, you should know that Eric and I have made a bet on which one of us you would allow to feed from you first. If I do this, he will owe me many concessions when I next see him again."

"All the more motivation for you to _get on with it already_."

And so Pam did, sinking her teeth in deep, unaware of anything beyond the taste of blood. She had been worse off than she had realized before; it would take more than simply feeding from one source for her to get her full strength back again.

She drank for what seemed like forever, only slowly growing more aware of the state of the woman whose blood now nourished her body. When Sookie's hand started tugging at her hair, she immediately responded and pulled back, aware that she might have taken more than she realized--

But rather than pushing Pam away, Sookie only pulled her closer. When she kissed her, blood ran down between their mouths, dripping patterns on their skin. Sookie's moan when she tasted herself on Pam's lips made the vampire realize how much she had been underestimating the human.

"Bill did introduce you to our ways," Pam murmured when they finally pulled back from each other. Sookie had needed to come up for air, and now that the moment had been broken she looked torn between wanting it to continue and knowing that it should stop.

Well aware that she would question her decision later, Pam took another step back and helped Sookie shift until her back rested against the sink.

"I drained a large quantity of your blood," Pam said. "It will be some time before you are able to think clearly again. I will be right outside if you need me."

"You know," Sookie said, as Pam started to open the door, "you're much nicer than anyone gives you credit for."

Pam shuddered. "Don't make me regret not taking advantage of you," was all she said before she let the door swing shut behind her.

Once outside, she ran her tongue over her lips and allowed herself a small smile.

What she had told Eric earlier was true. Some pleasures really were worth the addiction.


End file.
